Luis Enrique is Rebuilding Reputation Quickly After Finally Getting PSG to Play Like a Team

Spain coach Luis Enrique -File Photo/ JAVIER SORIANO -AFP
Spain coach Luis Enrique -File Photo/ JAVIER SORIANO -AFP
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Luis Enrique is Rebuilding Reputation Quickly After Finally Getting PSG to Play Like a Team

Spain coach Luis Enrique -File Photo/ JAVIER SORIANO -AFP
Spain coach Luis Enrique -File Photo/ JAVIER SORIANO -AFP

Luis Enrique has managed to rebuild his reputation quickly in his first season at Paris Saint-Germain.

With the French league title already in the bag, PSG now has a chance to win a historic treble of trophies — which would firmly re-establish Enrique as one of the top coaches in Europe after his image was tarnished by an unsuccessful spell with Spain.

PSG wrapped up the French league title with three games to spare this weekend, in one of the most dominant seasons in the league’s history.

The team is on a 26-game unbeaten streak in the league since September. With just one loss in 31 Ligue 1 matches so far, PSG has an unassailable 12-point lead over second-place Monaco.

“I wouldn’t have imagined this scenario going as positively as this,” the 53-year-old Enrique said.

The Spanish coach led Barcelona to nine trophies from 2014 to 2017, including the Champions League title, but his reputation took a big knock during his tenure with Spain's national team. Spain had just one win in four games at the 2022 World Cup and was eliminated by Morocco in the last 16.

Enrique can put that setback firmly behind him if he manages to also lead PSG to an elusive Champions League title, something the Qatari-backed club couldn't even achieve when it had Lionel Messi and Neymar playing alongside Kylian Mbappé, according to The AP.

PSG plays at Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday. It has also reached the French Cup final, where it faces Lyon on May 25.

There is no doubt PSG has made huge progress under Enrique's helm.

PSG also won the French league in the past two seasons, but got knocked out in the last 16 of the French Cup and the Champions League under Christophe Galtier last year, and under Mauricio Pochettino in 2022.

Trophies aside, Enrique showed his leadership skills by successfully navigating the tense relations between Mbappé — who will leave the club at the end of the season — and PSG's Qatari owners.

Enrique started Mbappé on the bench seven times this season, both to manage the France striker’s playing time and to test his options for next season. The strategy has worked well so far as Mbappé still leads the league with 26 goals — nine more than anyone else — and scored twice in the second leg against Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals.

TACTICAL MASTER

PSG owes a lot of its success to Enrique’s tactical shrewdness.

Manuel Ugarte started the season as the team's holding midfielder, but Enrique noticed that Vitinha was better at playing the ball out from the back than Ugarte, a ball winner by trade. So Enrique switched from using Vitinha as a box-to-box player to deploying him as a deep-lying playmaker in front of the defense. And Vitinha’s vision and passing skills have helped PSG get more control in midfield.

Likewise, Enrique quickly noticed that Lucas Beraldo struggled in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Barcelona as Robert Lewandowski dragged him all over the pitch. Enrique dropped Beraldo in the second leg to let the more experienced Marquinhos and Lucas Hernandez deal with Lewandowski. PSG won 4-1 to reverse a 3-2 home defeat in the first leg and advance.

Enrique was already known for his tactical flexibility at Barcelona, and has shown the same willingness to adapt at PSG by using different formations.

PSG has played with both a back four and a back three this season, and switched from using a lone striker in some games to two strikers in others.

Those variations helped Enrique rotate the team, make tactical experiments and create different kinds of problems for opponents.

“In order to be able to compete for every trophy, as I have said, you need a really big squad of at least 23 players. That is what we need here, and as the season has progressed, we have seen the importance of those players,” Enrique said.

Players’ versatility has been the key to Enrique’s rotation policy.

Marquinhos, Hernandez and Beraldo have been used as both center backs and fullbacks this season. Carlos Soler and Warren Zaire-Emery are midfielders but had to deputize in the right back position.

Lee Kang-in has played as a winger and as a midfielder. And Enrique even used France winger Ousmane Dembele in the No. 10 position a couple of times.

But perhaps Enrique's greatest achievement has been to build team chemistry at a club where star players have often seemed more influential than the coaches in the past.

PSG's repeated failures in the Champions League have usually been due to the fact that the collective performance seemed smaller than the sum of its parts.

By contrast, PSG now looks like a genuine team.



Behind the Fight: Firmino Tells How Arab Champions Are Made

Behind the Fight: Firmino Tells How Arab Champions Are Made
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Behind the Fight: Firmino Tells How Arab Champions Are Made

Behind the Fight: Firmino Tells How Arab Champions Are Made

By: Lulwah Alangari

From the heart of the vibrant combat sports scene in the Middle East, the spotlight does not shine solely on those who step into the cage — it also illuminates the quiet figures behind the curtain who discover, nurture, and build champions carrying their nations’ dreams to the world stage.

At the forefront of these figures stands Brazilian Gustavo Firmino, Vice President of Fighter Affairs and Matchmaker at the Professional Fighters League (PFL), a man who has dedicated his life to finding Arab talent and guiding them from amateur arenas to the heights of international professionalism.

Firmino’s journey began in Bahrain when he joined BRAVE Combat Federation to manage events and special MMA projects, later coordinating fights and overseeing athlete relations. He recalled those beginnings with a wide smile in his interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, saying he would always be grateful to Mr. Mohammed Shahin and Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa for trusting him to start this path.

When he later moved to PFL MENA, he found himself facing an even more ambitious project. Building a regional league directly connected to global championships was not just a job — “it was a beautiful dream we’re realizing every day,” he said. “We’re not just creating fights; we’re drawing long journeys for Arab talents to reach the world stage.”

Despite years behind a desk, his genuine passion for martial arts flows like a lifeline through his words. He speaks enthusiastically about his childhood filled with Bruce Lee movies, which later led him to practice judo, then jiu-jitsu in Brazil, and even boxing and Muay Thai in Indonesia. Laughing, he says: “This isn’t just a job... it’s who I am.”

When asked about his criteria for selecting fighters, Firmino confidently explained that skill alone is not enough — he looks for discipline, hunger, and a story worth telling. This is what makes him a true talent scout, picking hidden stories from dozens of names and turning them into shining stars in the ring. He proudly recounted the story of Egyptian fighter Mohamed Fahmy, who had competed in small tournaments with barely any recorded footage. Yet his background in judo, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling convinced Firmino of his potential. He signed him for the lightweight tournament — and Fahmy defeated the world runner-up in his debut last year. “Those moments are priceless,” Firmino said, shaking his head in admiration.

He also noted that he sometimes spots unknown champions through social media and keeps an eye on Arabs making their mark abroad, such as Morocco’s Salahdine Hamli, who rose in Spain and this year reached the lightweight semi-final against Algeria’s Souhil Tahiri.

When the conversation turned to challenges, particularly sudden withdrawals due to injuries or emergencies, Firmino didn’t hesitate to say the path is not always smooth. “Sometimes a fighter pulls out a week before the fight — or even days before. Luckily, our region is rich with fighters ready to seize the opportunity.” He cited an example when Abdullah Al-Qahtani withdrew due to injury, and his replacement also had to step down for family reasons. In the end, Algerian Akram Nersi stepped up at the last moment and delivered an impressive performance despite his lack of experience. With a glowing smile, Firmino added: “That’s the Arab fighter’s heart that amazes me.”

Firmino acknowledged that combat sports infrastructure is not yet equal across the Arab world. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Lebanon have made significant strides, while other countries are still at the beginning. But he insists the growth is remarkable and the outlook promising.

For young people aspiring to enter the sport, his advice is clear: start at a professional gym, build a strong amateur career, and then sign with a manager who can guide them properly.

When asked to name fighters he is particularly proud of, Firmino instantly mentioned Egyptian Omar El Dafrawy, who turned his career from a series of losses to becoming a welterweight champion; Iranian Mohsen Mohammadseifi, whom he followed from BRAVE until he became PFL’s lightweight champion in 2024; and Saudi Arabia’s Hattan Alsaif, the first Saudi female fighter under the PFL banner.

Speaking of her with notable admiration, he said: “She’s not just a pioneer — she has a winner’s mentality. It’s not enough for her to be the first; she wants to be the best. I’m confident she’ll inspire many Saudi women... just watch what’s coming.”

He continued to speak passionately about the new wave of Saudi fighters, describing them as having “a different mindset.” They don’t compete just to participate, but to win and raise their country’s flag. He spoke with pride of Malik Basahl, who shone in his professional debut, and Abdulaziz Bin Moammar, who showed impressive skill even in his amateur debut. He concluded with a special mention of Abdullah Al-Qahtani, who became PFL MENA’s first featherweight champion in 2024.

When asked about his expectations for the next season, he laughed: “It’s impossible to predict... every fight can change everything, and that’s what makes this league truly exciting.” But he was more certain when talking about the future of Arabs in the sport, confidently asserting that the Arab region will produce world champions in combat sports within a few years — especially with focused programs to discover amateur talent and guide them to professionalism.

He ended the interview with a decisive look that reflected his deep belief: "This is just the beginning... the future is ours."